Sharrie Williams, author of The Maybelline Story, is an original descendant of the Maybelline family. Her Great uncle, Tom Lyle Williams, founded the Maybelline Co in 1915. Family photos, stories and memorabilia further expand the Maybelline Saga.

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Maybelline targets the African American market, in the 1960's.

Ultra Lash was launched in 1964, and appeared in both African American and White, Advertisements,

Maybelline was one of the first to target their brand to theAfrican-American population in the 1960's, changing the stereotype image of the past, to one of glamour, style and confidence.

Diana Sands and Alan Alda on the February 1965 cover of Ebony magazine. They starred in the original Broadway production of “The Owl and the Pussycat” in 1964. The two-character play was originally written for white actors.

LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act into law only a few months before the publication of this particular ad, and the inclusive tone of "Come Alive! You're in the Pepsi Generation" links drinking Pepsi with integration.

In response to the fight from the civil rights movement, Maybelline began to target black consumers. Tom Lyle, truly believed that all women were beautiful, and that Maybelline only enhanced that beauty.Throughout the 1960's, African American models captured the corporate market, but it wasn't until 1969 that there was an African American Cover girl.